Front sight for firearms



33441. on 1,357,094 5R 1 P E. M. W. KAEMPFER.

FRONT SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-2B. 19x9.

1,357,094. Patented 0m 26,1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRONT SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application filed October 28, 1919. Serial No. 333,895.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EFFIE M. 7. KAEMP- FER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laredo, in the county of Webb and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Front Sights for Firearms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in sights for firearms, comprising rifles, pistols, shot guns, or other types of guns, or even for ordnance, in which it is desired to provide a luminous attachment to the sight, which may be used to enable the marksman to point the piece in the proper direction when the ordinary sights are not visible.

I have shown one embodiment of the invention as applied to the ordinary front sight of a rifle, whereby the rifle may be pointed with facility either by night or day.

My invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary service rifie provided with the improved front sight.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a much larger scale of the front sight shown in Fig. 1, as seen from the rear of said figure, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows, the front sight being seen from the rear; and

Fig. 4 shows a section along the line 44 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation.

A represents the barrel of the rifle carrying the usual front sight B, while the rear sight C is mounted on the recelver, or any other convenient part of the piece.

The front sight block B is fixed to the barrel in the usual well known or any convenient way, and to adapt same to the use of my invention I provide parallel side webs 6, between which the block D is pivoted by means of the bolt or pln E, whose end is preferably screw-threaded, as at e, to engage one of the side walls I).

This block D is provided with an arm d,

having a recess (P in one side thereof in which the radio composition H is placed, and the heel of said block is enlarged and is provided with two rounded bosses d and (Z which are adapted to engage the leaf spring F held in place by the screw bolt G.

The block D is preferably provided with a lug (Z to serve as a handle, which projects through the slot 6 in one of the side webs b when the block is in the lowered or closed position shown in Fig. 4. The back of said block may also be provided with a stop lug d to engage the rear face of the front sight block B when the block D is raised to the upper or operative position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

In order to permit the necessary play to the free end of the leaf spring F, the side block B is chambered, as at Z), see Figs. 2 and 4.

In order to protect the radio compound H from becoming covered over with dirt or foreign matter, and also to protect it from the light when the illuminating attachment is not in use, I provide a rib b projecting up into the space between the side webs b, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, against which the face 01 of the block D carrying the illuminating material engages when the block D is turned to the lower or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the device is as follows Under ordinary conditions, whether of transport storage, or use of the piece as a weapon by day, the pivoted block D would be turned down to the position shown in Fig. 4, and the face (Z held against the rib 6 under the action of the leaf spring F.

When it is desired to swing the block upward about its pivot, as for use in night firing, grasp the lug d and swing the block D about its pivot, causing the boss d to press the free end of the spring F into the recess 1), and when the block is turned to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the spring F will engage the corresponding boss 65 of the block D, holding the lug d into engagement with the rear face 5 of the front sight block 13.

At this time, the luminous material contained in the recess d will register with the center of the tip of the front sight, and if the piece is used at night it would clearly indicate the center of such sight.

I purpose to use with this luminous front sight attachment as hereinbefore described a luminous rear sight attachment, such as is described in my copending applications filed of even date herewith, and entitled, respectively, Improvements in rear sights for firearms, and Improvements in rear. sights for guns, filed respectively October 28, 1919, Serial No. 333896, and November 18, 1919, Serial No. 338868.

Thus it will be seen that the luminous attachment for the front sight is ordinarily held in a protected position, but is entirely out of the way except when desired for night firing, and at that time it may be readily swung into the operative position as hereinbefore described.

Instead of using a hand lug d for the pivoted block D the base of said block may be roughened about the part 652, so that said pivoted block may be swung out by the pressure of one of the fingers, and then swung to the vertical position by hand, or other means for swinging the block to the vertical position may be adopted if desired.

I prefer to use a stop lug (Z on the front face of the pivoted block D when the said block is in the raised position so as to prevent the complete upward swing of said block being effected, which might happen should foreign matter accidentally get into the space between the front edge of said block and the rear edge of the front sight block B.

I have shown one embodiment of the in vention which is of simple construction, and not likely to get out of order from the rough handling to which firearms are ordinarily subjected when in use; but it will be evident that various modifications might be made in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun sight, of an auxiliary sight block pivoted thereon, said auxiliary block having an arm with a pocket therein containing luminous material, and means for holding said auxiliary block in a positively adjustable position with respect to said gun sight.

2. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed gun sight carried thereby, a swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted to said fixed sight, said auxiliary block having an arm with a pocket therein containing luminous material, and a leaf spring engaging said auxiliary block and holding the same in the raised or lowered position.

3. In asighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed sight block carried by the gun and provided with a housing therein, a swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted in said housing and provided with a pocket containing luminous material, and automatic means for holding said auxiliary block in the raised or lowered position.

4. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed sight block carried by the gun and provided with a housing therein, a swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted in said housing and provided with a pocket containing luminous material, and a leaf spring also mounted in said housing and engaging said auxiliary block and automatically holding the same in the raised or lowered position.

5. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed front sight block, a vertically swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted thereto, said auxiliary block having an arm with a pocket therein containing luminous material, and means for holding said auxiliary block in the raised or lowered position.

6. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed front sight block, a vertically swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted thereto, said auxiliary block having an arm with a pocket therein containing luminous material, and with a heel provided with rounded bosses at opposite sides thereof, and a leaf spring engaging one or the other of said bosses and holding the auxiliary block in the raised or lowered position as described.

7. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed front sight block carried by the gun and provided with a housing therein, with a shoulder in said housing, a vertically swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted in said housing and provided with a pocket containing luminous material adapted to be masked by said shoulder when the auxiliary block is in the lowered position, and automatic means for holding said auxiliary block in the raised or lowered position.

8. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed front sight block carried by the gun and provided with a housing therein, with a shoulder in said housing, a vertically swinging auxiliary said housing and engaging said auxiliary block and automatically holding the same in the raised or lowered position.

-9. In a sighting apparatus for guns, the combination with a gun, of a fixed sight block carried by the gun and provided with a housing therein having side walls, one of which is slotted, a swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted in said housing and provided with a pocket containing luminous material, and with a lug registering with the slot in said side wall, and automatic means for holding said auxiliary block in the raised or lowered position.

10. In a sighting apparatus for gun, the 15 combination with a gun, of a fixed sight block carried by the gun and provided with a housing therein having side walls, one of which is slotted, a swinging auxiliary sight block pivoted in said housing and provided 20 with a pocket containing luminous material, and with a lug registering with the slot in said side walls, and a leaf spring also mounted in said housing and engaging said auxiliary block and automatically holding 25 the same in the raised or lowered position.

EFFIE MAY WAGNER KAEMPFER. 

